True, but it's a different airplane--not a VariEze with a larger fuselage wrapped around it.
73 de nn0b, Steve -----Original Message----- From: Mark Bayern [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 12:37 PM To: Steve Harvey Cc: elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Big box K3 > Given that, I don't > think that even Burt Rutan would consider adapting a VariEze (K2) or a > Starship (K3) into an AirBus form factor ... Seems like a bad choice for an example. Burt did create the Long-EZ, a larger version of the VariEze. Mark On Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 1:18 PM, Steve Harvey <[email protected]> wrote: > I don't really have a horse in this race because I am personally very happy > with my K3 (#693) and, knowing that Wayne's Engineering degree included > emphasis on Engineering Ergonomics, I am satisfied that he has given us the > best possible radio in the form factor that is most popular to most people > who represent his target market. > > However, while there is nothing wrong with dreaming and asking for changes, > I wonder how many of the Big Box k3 requesters have considered the magnitude > of the effort required on Elecraft's part to deliver such a thing. > > First, the job would not be as trivial as simply re-packaging the insides in > a bigger box. It would involve the design and testing of a new RF board and > front panel in order to remove controls and displays to a different front > panel (which would also have to be designed and tested) and to remove ports > to a different back panel. Internal cable routing, shielding, and structural > support would have to be altered with consequent testing as well. Cramming > the P3, KPA500, and a power supply inside would only complicate things > further. Also, because functions would have to be removed from menus and > associated with front panel hardware, the firmware would have to be > rewritten, which would require two versions to be maintained in parallel and > alpha/beta tested for each release to keep them in sync. Elecraft is a > small company, and most of the design and programming is done by only a > couple of people whose jobs would grow enormously, and which would deprive > other, more critical projects of their time and effort. > > Second, how much would the Big Box people be willing to pay for the upgrade, > and how many could Elecraft expect to sell? My guess is that in order to > amortize the time and materials to develop such an upgrade given the > considerations above, each unit could cost as much as the K3 itself > (possibly more depending on expected sales volume), which could bring it > into the price range of some of the "big iron" with which it favorably > competes, both cost- and feature-wise. I suspect that there would not be > many takers at those prices. > > I'm sorry that some of the current owners of K3s seem to be disappointed in > it. Every engineering project is a trade-off, and I think that Wayne and > Eric represent the Burt Rutans of the radio world. Given that, I don't > think that even Burt Rutan would consider adapting a VariEze (K2) or a > Starship (K3) into an AirBus form factor, and I doubt that very many > customers would buy one. > > > 73 de Steve, NN0B > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
